High-pressure valve seal



Patented Dec. 9, 1952 HIGH-PRESSURE VALVE SEAL Thomas R. Smith, Newton,Iowa, assignor to The Maytag Company, Newton, Iowa, a corporation ofDelaware Application November 20, 1946, Serial No. 711,004

5 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to a valve and especially to a novel valveseal assembly.

Among the objects of the present invention is the provision of a novelvalve seal particularly adapted for sealing fluid under high pressureand in which the sealing element is mounted or anchored in the valvebody.

Another important feature of the present novel invention is theprovision of a valve assembly, in which the valve plunger and sealingelement are so designed and constructed that the lower end of the valveplunger enters the opening to be sealed prior to engaging the sealingelement, whereby the flow of fluid is substantially restricted orstopped before complete sealing is effected. This prevents damage to orextrusion of the sealing element regardless of the pressure of the fluidin the line.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a novelseal assembly and in the' novel manner of mounting and arranging theseal whereby the sealing element is placed under limited squeeze orcompression when the valve is closed, thereby positively sealing thefluid passage and preventing extrusion of the resilient sealing element.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity,efiiciency, economy and ease of assembly and operation, and such furtherobjects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear andare inherently possessed thereby.

The invention further resides in the construction, combination andarrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and whilethere is shown therein a preferred embodiment, it is to be understoodthat the same is" susceptible of modification and change, andcomprehends other details, arrangements of parts, features andconstructions without departing from the spirit 5 section of the valveassembly of Figlf'3 in closed position.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged view of Fig. 3 to more clearly show theassembly and arrangement of the sealing member and associated parts, andthe space provided around the sealing lip to prevent extrusion thereofwhen the valve is closed.

Referring more particularly to the novel embodiments selected toillustrate the present invention, that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprisesa valve assembly including a valve body I having an inlet 2 providedwith an inwardly extending end portion and an outlet 3 for passage ofliquid or other fluid under pressure. A valve plunger or shut-01f member4 is provided with. a shaft or stem 5 extending through and threadedinto a cap 6 for longitudinal movement. Thisstem is adapted to berotated by a handle or other suitable means (not shown) mounted on itsouter end 1. The cap 6 is threaded into the upper open end of the valvebody and a suitable packing I1 is provided for sealing against leakagetherebetween, and leakage along the stem is prevented by providing aresilient sealing ring 8 adapted to encompass the valve stem 5 and seatwithin an inwardly opening recess or groove 9 provided in the internaldiameter of the cap. The valve plunger 4 comprises a head I0 having areduced lower end portion I I to provide a radially extending shoulderI8 and a lower sealing face or seating surface It. This reduced portionII is adapted to enter and closely fit an enlarged opening I2 in theupper inlet end 2 in the valve body when the stem 5 is rotated in aclosing direction.

Disposed in the opening I2 and slightly below an upper abutment or faceI9 is an annular selfsealing resilient sealing element or sealing ringI3 provided with an external flange I4 anchored in an annular recessformed or provided in the valve body. The sealing ring I3 is providedwith an upstanding part or resilient sealing lip I5, having its upperend preferably rounded, for sealing contact with the lower seatingsurface I6 of the reduced lower end II on the valve plunger.

To shut oh. the flow through the inlet, passage or orifice 2 the shaftor stem 5 is turned or moved in a closing direction and due to itsthreaded connection it lowers the plunger until the lower reduced end IIthereof enters the opening I2 of the inlet whereby to substantially cutofi or restrict the flow of the incoming fluid as shown in Fig. 2.Further closing movement of the plunger causes the lower seating surfaceI6 thereon to engage the sealing lip I5 0n the upstanding part of thesealing member which completely seals off the valve. The amount ofcompression that can ment.

be applied to the sealing lip or face is predetermined and is limited bythe distance the plunger can travel, after the lower seating surface l6contacts the sealing lip I 5, before the shoulder [8 on the plungercontacts the adjacent face L9 in the valve body.

In Figs. 3, 4 and 5, is shown an alternate construction'in which thevalve body 20. is provided with an inlet 2| and an outlet 22, althoughdue to the novel assembly and construction these ports may be reversedso that the fluid under pressure may flow in either direction. A plungeror shut-01f member 23 is provided with a shaft or stem 24 and a portionor'head 25 of. such crosssection that it may when moved in a closingdirection enter and substantially close an opening 26 at the upper endof the passage 2|, whereupon its lower seating surface 21 seats upon asealing end or lip 28 of a resilient sealing member 29 disposed belowthe top surface of the opening.

:As shown in Fig. 3, the sealing element 29 is anchored in position bymeans of an annular flange 30 seating in a recess or groove. provided inthe body of the valve and surrounding the lower end of the opening 26. Aretainer sleeve 3| is suitably anchored in the passage 2| as by means ofa press fit, or in any other manner, whereby it is maintained withinthis passage and against the internal diameter of the sealing ele- Theupper endof this sleeve is disposed a predetermined distance below theupper edge of the sealing lip 28 whereby to form a stop or "shoulder toprevent the plunger frombeing further lowered upon contact therewith.

vided a stop for limiting the movement of the plunger or shut-offmember.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the stop 19 for the plunger surrounds thesealingelement, while in Figs. 3, 4 and 5' the stop is concentric with thesealing element but in the form -of a sleeve 3| disposed at the insidediameter of the sealing element. In both forms, the compression of theresilient sealing lip or face. is predetermined by the amount theplunger may move imtilitcontacts the stop, and in both forms such:limitation on the squeeze or compression pre- =vents extrusion.

- .'-As' will be apparent from the drawings, it is zcontemplated toprovide sufli'cient space about or. adjacent the upper end of thesealing member to permit the desired squeeze or compression withoutdamage to the sealing element and without extrusion. Any resilientmaterial such as natural or compounded synthetic rubber or rubber-likematerial may be employed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: .1. A valve seal forpreventing the passage of fluid, comprising a body member having apassage therein for fluid under pressure and opening into the bodymember, a stop surface surrounding the opening, said pass-age at theopening and adjacent the stop. surface being enlarged to constitute arecess having an' undercut portion F providing an inwardly extendingshoulder disposed below the stop surface and an annular portion ofgreater diameter than the passage extending from the shoulderto the stopsurface, an

annular self-sealing resilient sealing member having its outer peripheryconforming to and disposed in the recess and against the shoulder andprovided with a central opening conforming to and forming the outlet forthe passage, said sealing member having an upwardly projecting sealinglip with its upper sealing end extending toward but terminating belowthe stop surface, and a shut-off member adjustably mounted in said bodymember and provided with a reduced central portion having a lowerseating surface for sealing contact with the upper end of the sealinglipand a shoulder spaced therefrom, said reduced portion entering andclosely fitting said passage when it is moved toward its closed positionto restrictthe flow of fluid therethrough and upon further movement theseating surface contacts the upper end of said sealing lip to sealagainst leakage, and thereafter said shoulder on said shut-off membercontacts the stop surface on said body member to limit the axialcompression on said resilient sealing member after a predeterminedamount ofaxial compression.

2. In a valve seal for controlling the flow of fluid under pressure,comprising a valve body having a passage opening into the valve body forthe transmission-of fluid and an enlarged recess at the outlet end ofthe passage, a resilient sealing member encompassing said passage andconformably received within said recess and having an outwardlyprojecting flange securely anchored to said body and an upper sealingend disposed adjacent to but below the outlet end of the passage, a.sleevemember rigidly secured to said body in said passage and providedwith an upper shoulder disposed adjacent to but below the upper sealingend of said sealing member, a shut-off member adjustably mounted in saidbody and provided with a part having a lower seating surface conformingto the recess and adapted to enter and closely fit said recess when itis moved in asclosing direction to restrict the flow of fluidtherethrough and upon further closing movement the seating surfacecontacts the upper sealing end of said sealing member to seal againstleakage, and a space provided between said sleeve member and said bodyto allow for the compression of said sealing member to permit theseating surface to contact the shoulder on said sleeve member and toprevent extrusion of said sealing member.

3. A valve seal construction comprising a valv body provided with afluid passage therein opening into the body and thereat provided with anenlarged recess having an undercut portion, a stop surface surroundingthe recess, a resilient sealing member having an anchoring flangeprovided at one end thereof disposed in said recess and undercut portionand an upstanding sealing portion at the other end thereof disposedinwardly of the stop surface and with its upper sealing end disposedbelow the same, and a shut-off member provided with a depending parthaving a seating surface on its lower end conforming to and adapted toenter said enlarged recess to restrict the flow therethrough, saidshut-off member having a shoulder adapted to contact the stop surface tothereby limit the closing movement of said shut-off member after itsseating surface enters said recess and engages and compresses the uppersealing end of the resilient sealing member a predetermined amount.

4. In a seal construction for preventing the passage of fluid underpressure, a valve body having a passage for the transmission of thefluid and an enlarged recess at the outlet endof-the 5 passage openinginto the valve body, a stop provided in the valve body, a resilientsealing member encompassing the passage and conformably received withinthe recess and provided with an external flange and an upstandingannular selfsealing lip terminating below the outlet end of the recess,a shut-ofi' member adjustably mounted in the valve body and providedwith a part conforming to and adapted to be received With in the recessto restrict the flow of fluid therethrough and having a seating surfacefor engaging the upper end of the sealing lip when the part is movedinto the recess and a surface ad jacent the seating surface for engagingthe stop, whereby in closing the valve the part on the shut-off memberfirst substantially restricts the flow through the recess and thereafterthe seating surface engages the upper end of the sealing lip and axiallycompresses the sealing member, the amount of axial compression to whichthe sealing member may be subjected being limited """Tby th engagementof the surface on th shut-off member adjacent the seating surfaceengaging the stop whereby to prevent extrusion of the seal ing member.

5. In a seal construction for preventing the flow of fluid underpressure, a body provided with a passage therein for the transmission ofthe fluid and an enlarged recess at the outlet end of the passageopening into the body, a stop provided in the body, an adjustableshut-off member provided with a seating surface disposed on the lowerportion thereof conforming to and adapted to enter said enlarged recessto restrict the flow of fluid therethrough, a resilient sealing membersurrounding said passage and conformably received in the recess andhaving an annular outwardly projecting flange securely anchored to saidbody and an upstanding sealing lip terminating below the open end. ofthe recess and with its upper end arranged for sealing contact with saidseating surface, said resilient sealing lip coasting between saidseating surface and said body so that when said shut-off member is movedin a closing direction it enters the enlarged recess to thereby restrictthe flow therethrough, after which the seating surface contacts theupper end of said sealing lie to positively seal said passage and recessby means of the fluid under pressure, and a surface on the shut-offmember engaging the stop in the body for limiting the compression ofsaid resilient sealing member to prevent extrusion thereof.

THOMAS R. SlVEITi-I.

crrnn The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 372,077 Luce Oct. 25, 1887565,682 Jenkins Aug. 11, 1896 831,742 Pownall Sept. 25, 1906 1,394,022Jones Oct. 13, 1921 1,650,077 Lamb Nov. 22, 1927 1,671,139 Wilson May29, 1928 2,123,477 Sheedy July 12, 1938 2,151,442 Roberts Mar. 21, 19392,208,929 Jaegle July 23, 1940 2,403,028 Smith July 2, 1945 2,408,006Smith Sept. 24, 1946 2,414,908 Smith Jan. 28, 1947 2,585,863 Smith Feb.12, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 586,85; France 1- of 1925

